On the stage of Northeast China, Cheng Ye is a well-known two-person actor, Zhao Benshan's protégé. However, who would have thought that this artist, who is good at amusing the audience, would become an unexpected messenger of Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges?
An unusual dinner party quietly unfolded in the mansion of the wealthy Li Xiaohua. The protagonists of the banquet are none other than former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his wife. As the first Ferrari in China, Li Xiaohua has a deep relationship with Yukio Hatoyama. It is rumored that Li Xiaohua made a fortune selling hair growth serum in Japan in the early days of reform and opening up, laying the foundation for becoming the richest man in the future and buying China's first Ferrari.
For this special dinner, Li Xiaohua specially invited his friend Cheng Ye to help. That night, Cheng Ye lived up to expectations and showed the folk art of Northeast China to the fullest. His two-person performance not only made the guests laugh, but also made the Hatoyama couple have a strong interest in traditional Chinese culture.
Surprisingly, however, the former Japanese prime minister has also shown great artistic talent. At the dinner, Yukio Hatoyama splashed ink, and an ink painting full of oriental charm jumped onto the paper. The painting was gifted to Cheng Ye as a testimony to the newfound friendship between the two. Cheng Ye was not to be outdone, and gave back his calligraphy works. The two artists found resonance in calligraphy and painting, as if they had reunited old friends who had not seen each other for many years.
After the photos of the dinner were leaked, a storm was set off on the Internet. Some netizens expressed dissatisfaction with Cheng Ye's interaction with the former Japanese prime minister, and even made some radical remarks. However, these critics ignore an important fact: Yukio Hatoyama is one of the few pro-China friendly figures in Japan who has been working for years to normalize Sino-Japanese relations. What is even more commendable is that he is the only former Japanese prime minister to publicly admit war crimes and apologize in Nanjing.
In the face of doubts, Cheng Ye chose to remain silent. But his friends came out to defend him. Li Xiaohua and Zhao Benshan have spoken out on social media, calling on the public to look at international exchanges with a more open mind. As the truth gradually emerged, the winds of public opinion began to shift. More and more people are beginning to think: in this increasingly close global village, should we look at the exchanges between different countries and cultures with a more tolerant attitude?
To some extent, Cheng Ye's experience reflects the changes in contemporary China. From a small stage to a big stage, from amusing the audience to promoting international exchanges, isn't this the epitome of China's changing role on the world stage? Art can transcend language and cultural barriers and become a bridge of communication.
Eventually, the turmoil ended in an unexpected way. Cheng Ye and Yukio Hatoyama co-initiated a cultural exchange project called "Art Without Borders", which aims to promote mutual understanding between the Chinese and Japanese peoples through folk art. The project has received wide support from the cultural circles of the two countries and has become an important platform for promoting people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan.
At the launching ceremony of the project, Cheng Ye said that the language of art is universal, and he hopes to contribute to the improvement of relations between the two countries through this project. Yukio Hatoyama also emphasized that only by understanding each other can we eliminate prejudice, and the friendship between them is the best place to start.
The significance of the matter itself goes far beyond the personal level. It shows how cultural exchange can transcend borders, bridge barriers and bring people from different cultures to find resonance. In this uncertain world, we need more cultural envoys like Cheng Ye. In their own unique way, they build bridges of communication and make the world more harmonious.
And when we judge the actions of others, we should be more cautious and try to understand the whole picture. Yukio Hatoyama, as a pro-China Japanese politician, deserves a fair evaluation of his behavior and attitude.
Write at the end
The world will be a better place because of such cultural exchanges. As Yukio Hatoyama said: "Kindness and good-neighborliness, faith and harmony, harmony among all nations!" "This may be our common vision, a world of peace, mutual trust and win-win.
What began as a cultural encounter at a dinner turned into an art extravaganza that transcends borders. It has not only enriched the cultural life of the people of the two countries, but also injected new vitality into Sino-Japanese relations. In this process, Cheng Ye transformed from a local artist to an envoy of international cultural exchanges, while Yukio Hatoyama used practical actions to interpret what it means to be "kind and good neighbors".
Perhaps, this is the charm of culture. It breaks down barriers, bridges and allows people from different backgrounds to find a common language. In this increasingly globalized world, we need more such cultural bridges to promote understanding and friendship between different countries and peoples.